


Bleeding Love

by Wolvenlights



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: AU, Billy the vampire, Eventual Smut?, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Teddy the vampire hunter, Vampire and Hunter AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-13
Updated: 2015-10-16
Packaged: 2018-04-26 06:55:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4994575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolvenlights/pseuds/Wolvenlights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Theodore Atlman is no ordinary vampire hunter. After losing the only family he's ever known, he devoted his entire life to ridding the world of Vampires. Lifeless, cold-hearted, blood sucking monsters that care nothing for humans aside from a meal. At least, that was what he believed until he crosses paths with a golden-eyed vampire that has him rethinking everything he's ever known.</p><p>William Maximoff (Kaplan in his previous life), has only one rule for himself. Never take a human life. After being around for a century, frozen in time, he has an appreciation for the one thing he now lacks. Even those in his coven share his rule and appreciation. When a famed vampire hunter threatens to destroy the peace in their land, it's up to William to stop him. But how do you stop a hunter that isn't entirely human? And is really, REALLY hot?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Encounters

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cris-art](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=cris-art).



> This is all completely inspired by Cris-art's fabulous AU drawings of Teddy and Billy.  
> All credit should go to this person over here!

**Transylvania 1887**

Another log had been added to the fire, casting embers into the air like wandering fireflies that disappeared amongst the shadows of the trees. It wasn’t a lot of light, but it would be enough for the hunter to see by. Theodore stood, appearing to be staring at the flames before him, keeping his back to the darken trees behind him. His senses however were not trained on the fire. Anyone would have called him insane, to not be watching the shadows while in an area riddled with Vampires. Then again. This was Theodore Altman, famed vampire hunter of his time. A man who had vanquished more vampires and relieved more villages that were preyed upon, than any could believe possible. He was an angel of vengeance sent to them by God, as many had said.

He felt more like a monster than an angel. No one knew of his heritage, and as far as he was concerned, no would ever find out. His mother had been human enough, but his father? Nothing worse than one the creatures of the night that he hunted so passionately. He had, had no quarrel with the vampires or his father until the day that blood sucking bastard had returned and killed his mother. He had believed for the longest time that his father was different, until the vampire counsel found out and demanded that his mother and he be destroyed. Seeing his mother’s limp form was a memory that burned brightly in the forefront of his mind. It had been that night that he swore the entire race would die for taking her from him.

A twig snapped behind him, echoing in the silence that filled the air around him. Subtle. Barely noticeable to a normal person and could have been mistaken for the fire crackling before him. Not for him though. The sound was like a gun going off. Theodore schooled his features to those of an ordinary man. As though he was completely oblivious to the approaching monster, slipping through the shadows of the woods. He waited, forcing his breathing to stay steady, and his heart rate low. What they could sense, he could sense too.

He knew his own appeal to the vampires. Tan bare skin, made more appealing by the glow of the firelight. Powerful muscles hidden beneath that promised a fight and a challenge that most prey didn’t provide. Hair similar to spun gold and glacier blue eyes seemed to draw them in as well. Not nearly as much as his hybrid blood that called out to them like a siren song leaving him to be the perfect bait.

He could hear the sudden shift of feet coming towards him. Silently walking as if it were an old friend approaching him. Theodore’s hand tightened over the wooden stake in his hand, hidden in the fold of his elbow. It wasn’t the first time that one of these blood suckers had tried a more subtle approach. The hunter waited, until he could practically feel the monster breathing on him. With a growl, Theodore twisted and jammed his elbow into the vampire’s face.

The yelp of pain that came from his victim was a bit unexpected, along with watching it stumble backwards a few steps. A male, young in appearance, and most likely inexperienced if it was this easy to land a blow. His clothing was more sophisticated than most, meaning that his target was probably from one of the older clans here. Good. Teddy went to throw a second punch only to have the vampire catch his fist in mid-flight.

“Stand down, hunter! I mean you no harm!” The vampire called out to him.

“No? Shame, since I mean to harm you!” Teddy bit out, thrusting the stake forward and aiming for the cold heart in its chest.

The vampire’s eyes widened and quickly grabbed the hunter’s wrist, stopping the stake from getting too close to his chest. The surprise was evident on his face when he had to apply more of his inhuman strength to actually bring Teddy’s hand to a standstill. A dark smirk crossed the hunter’s lips as he threw more of his weight at the vampire. It was clear that he wasn’t dealing with an ordinary human.

“Why? I have done nothing to provoke you!” Came the reply in a pleading tone. They were all the same in Theodore’s mind. They all were corpses that fed on the blood of the living. Killing at will and without care for life.

“You don’t have too. What you are is enough reason for me to kill you.” Teddy growled out viciously. He shifted, precariously balancing all he weight onto one foot so that he could hook his other ankle around those of his target. Giving a kick the two started to tumbled down to the ground. The sudden movement was enough for him to get his fist free and brace the palm on the back end of the stake. The hunter threw all his weight forward, aiming to drive the stake by sear force alone. There was another yelp and a fleeting look of panic as the vampire braced his hands against the strong arms above him, fighting to keep the stake away from him as they collided into the grass.

“Just because I am a vampire, you wish to kill me?!” The words were tight and strained as the vampire struggled to keep the being at bay. His opponent didn’t smell like a vampire, but he certainly had the strength of one! What madness was this? “You humans are all the same.”

“And you’re not?!” Teddy barked out harshly. It was the same conversation every time. They would plead and beg for their life first and then they would fight with all their strength. With every dirty trick in the book but it all ended the same way. With them dying by his hands. This vampire would be no different.

“N-no! I…gah! I’m not like the others!” It spat back, baring its fangs at him with a snarl. The vampire’s arms were starting to shake, from the effort. Cold fingers digging into warm tanned skin, fighting to push him away. His heels dug into the earth, fighting for purchase, trying to get away from the cold piercing gaze above him.

Theodore leaned heavily over the wood stake, determination coloring his features. He could see the tip catching on the fine clothing beneath him. It wouldn’t hurt him just yet. Oh no. Not until the yew wood pierced the skin below it. He was so close. So close to destroying another terror that plagued the world. If he could just hold on a little longer. Until the vampire’s strength would give out…He tried to lean a little farther over top, adding to the weight when he made his first mistake.

The hunter’s hips raised just enough off the vampire’s to give him the advantage. With a cry of rage, the vampire bucked hard, tossing his opponent off balance and flipped him over his head. Teddy would have muttered a curse under his breath, if there had been any air left in his lungs. The impact had driven it out of him, weakening him, and causing him to let loose the wood stake. His second mistake.

Something cold and hard as iron slammed into his throat and a heavy weight covered his body in an instant, pinning him down.

“Listen well, Huntsman. I am _not_ your enemy.” Theodore opened his eyes to find the vampire crouched over top of him and his forearm, braced against his throat. In his other hand was the wood stake that had previously been hovering over the cold chest above him. Now its sharp tip was pointed at his own warm one. “Nor do I choose to be.”

The stake went flying into the night and all Theodore could hear was the sound of the fire suddenly crackling louder. He had thrown it away. Instead of taking the chance to kill the man that was obviously hunting his kind, he threw it away. Why?

“Well I’m not planning on making nice with a blood sucker like _you_!” Teddy croaked out past the pressure on his throat. The comment earned a low growl and the pressure to increase to the point that his hands came up and grabbed at the arm. Trying to shove it away.

“I do not blame you with the reputation that my kind has made for itself.” There was little in his tone that suggested that he harbored any ill-will against the hunter. Confusing Theodore just a little bit more. “Rest assured though, I am different from them.”

“As if you could prove it.” He snapped, pushing harder against the arm on his neck.

“I _can_ prove it! Look at my eyes huntsman- _look_ at me!” The weight returned to his neck, threatening to crush his windpipe if he didn’t obey. He fought, determined to keep from looking at the vampire’s eyes. Believing it too be some kind of trick.

But Teddy couldn’t fight against the crushing strength for long. He may have been a hybrid, but it did not mean that he could out last a full vampire. He finally indulged begrudgingly and looked up to meet the gaze above his. What he saw though caused him to stop fighting all together.

Gold. Amber gold. Never in his life had he seen a vampire with anything but blood red eyes. Not a single one! There was not a trace of the famed ruby color in the vampire’s above him. Nothing but Amber gold with flecks of honey orange sprinkled in the mix.

Teddy shook his head and with inhuman speed, he threw a punch square into the vampire’s jaw hard enough to toss him to the side like a rag doll. He had just enough time to sit up and watch as the undead rolled into a crouch and rubbed at his jaw.

“What would you have to gain if I did believe you? You’re _still_ a vampire! I will still come after you.” The hunter remarked, rubbing his throat and thoroughly confused. How was it possible for a vampire to have that transfixing color and why didn’t he kill him when he had the chance?

“Oh obviously!” The vampire chided, still rubbing his cheek tenderly and watching the hunter before him. “The only gain that I would receive is that _someone_ would at least see me for something other than a cold blooded killer.”

“Snowballs chance in hell.” Teddy muttered, standing to his feet and keeping a careful watch on the vampire. He wasn’t without other weapons, but it was rare that he actually needed to go for a second much less a third if need be, to take out his enemy.

“Indeed.” The vampire stood to his feet slowly, taking a step backward in a non-threatening manor. “I believe it is time that I take my leave….though I have a feeling we will see one another again soon.”

There was a half bow given that had Theodore raising a brow to him. If it was meant to be a sign of respect, he didn’t accept it as such. He gave a hard scowl in return, watching him go.

“Soon, huh? If that is the case, I should get your name. Not that I care much for it.” It wasn’t a pleasant snicker that came from the hunter, but it was enough to cause the vampire to pause in his retreat.

“My name? Is William Maximoff and yours, sir Hunter?” William smiled slightly, his voice a little kinder than what it was earlier. It had to be an act. There was no way that it couldn’t be.

“Theodore Altman.” He noted firmly, raising his chin with what was left of his dignity.

The silence that followed, and the concerned look on William’s face told Teddy enough of what he needed to know. He had heard of him, knew his reputation, and understood that he would stop at nothing to wipe the vampire race from existence, even if the reason was unknown to him.

There was a deep nod before William turned his back to him and strode off into the shadows of the forest, leaving the hunter alone by the dying fire.

“Until we meet again, Theodore.”


	2. Call for me

**Italy 1887**

**One Month Prior**

His body was trembling, sweat coating his bare chest as though he had been doused with a pail of water. His breath coming out in hard pants, made visible by the cold and the moonlight that filtered in between the splintering boards above. Blood was dripping down his face from cut he had gained somewhere in the fight. Hell, his body was already covered in a handful of ugly bruises.

“Why not give up now, Theodore? At least then you won’t die tired.” A voice called out from one of the shadows to the man’s left. 

Theodore grinned. At least now he had lead on the still moving target. It would have been better off keeping its trap shut as it had for that last hour. Lashing out at him from the shadows with hardly any time to defend himself. There was a creak of a board coming from another area of the barn that he stayed in tuned too. Patiently waiting for the next strike to come as he tightened his hold on a silver stake. 

Silver. A special treat for this particularly annoying vampire. This one had the audacity to try and toy with him for the past week. Purposefully, leaving so called gifts in his room at the nearby inn. Only to dance just outside of his reach and taunt him. 

“I believe your mate said the same thing to me,” Theodore chuckled darkly, taking a more casual pose. He gave the silver stake a small flip into the air before catching it again in his gloved hand. “Right before I killed her.”

His mockery succeeded. A feral roar filled the air and made the walls of the rickety barn shake and dust fall. The vampire flew down from the eaves in its full monstrous form, wings unfurled, and straight at the hunter with every intent to kill him. The silver stake flashed in the moonlight, as they collided, crashing through a barn wall. The roar of anger turned into one of pain, as Theodore rammed the stake in further. The hunter struggled with the beast for a moment, managing to get both feet braced on the vampire and kicking him off. 

The sound became louder as the vampire tried to grab the stake. But the damage was done. The foul smell of decay filled the night as he watched the monster start to rot before his very eyes. Withering away as though time was racing by until nothing remained but a pile of ash and the silver stake, gleaming in the moonlight. 

The hunter let out a sigh of relief. It was over. One more vampire was destroyed. Theodore stood to his feet slowly, ignoring the soreness that started to settle in his back. After collecting the stake and the various other weapons that had been scattered in the fight, he started back for the village. His wounds healing fully by the time he had reached the inn on the long walk back. Dawn had just started to rise, coloring the sky with an array of golds. Good. At least now he could sleep for a while before moving onto the next place that needed help. 

A few people were just starting to risk walking outside of their homes now that there was enough light to see in front of them. With the sun starting to burn away the fog that had crept in during the early hours of the morning. Theodore nodded to a couple of the villagers, but otherwise kept to himself as he slipped into the inn and quietly made his way to his room. 

His hand barely touched that knob when he heard the subtle sound just on the other side of the door. Another vampire? No. No, no there was a heartbeat. A human. The knowledge didn’t allow him to relax. People being in his room could mean anything, which meant unpredictability. Least with vampires, it was an obvious reason for them to be in his room. As silently as possible, Theodore opened the door. 

A teenaged boy, just barely qualified to be called a man was curled up on his bed sound asleep on top of the blanket. Theodore glanced around the room, making sure that no other surprises were instore before stepping in and quietly shutting the door behind him. No point in raising a ruckus if it was only a kid here. At least his bed would already be warm for him to sleep in. 

“Hey. Get up” He ordered, giving a sound kick to the bed. 

The boy jolted upright, dazed and confused. Sleep still evident in his eyes as he searched the room only to have his gaze land on the hunter. He rubbed his eyes and started muttering an apology when Theodore raised his hand to stop him. 

“I just want to know why you’re asleep in my bed.” He stated, a little more gently than when he first spoke.

“I-I came to b-bring a…a m-message to you, s-sir.” The boy stammered, scratching his head as though it would help him wake up faster. Teddy raised a brow at the boy’s stutter. He couldn’t detect any traces of fear on the kid so he simply assumed that he just had a hard time speaking. It happened sometimes and it wasn’t the first time he had met someone that a little more patience was required for.

“Inn keeper let you in?”

“Y-Yes S-sir. H-he s-said that I c-could wait i-in here f-for you.” 

Teddy nodded, kneeling beside the bed in front of the kid. It wasn’t that he had any objections to the kid falling asleep in the bed while waiting for him. It was more concerning to think that this kid could have been the next victim of the vampire he had slain earlier, if the damned thing had decided to taunt him again by coming here instead. He could thank God later for the small blessing that the kid hadn’t been drawn into this battle. 

“What’s your name?” He asked, looking up at the boy.

“R-Ryan, s-sir.”

“In the future, Ryan, do yourself a small favor. _Never_ wait in a vampire hunter’s room while he’s not there. Especially one as well-known as I.” He noted gently, waiting for the boy to acknowledge that much. “You may get more than you bargained for and wind up as a meal next time.”

“Y-Yes S-sir.” The boy’s eyes widened when he caught Theodores meaning and nodded his head vigorously. “A-Are y-you hurt, s-sir? Th-there’s an a-awful lot of b-b-bl-“ 

“Blood?” He offered, raising a brow at him. That’s right, he hadn’t cleaned up yet after the fight. The sight of him had to be rather concerning for the boy. “Yes I’m alright. It’s nothing for you to be concerned with. Now. What’s this message that you meant to bring me?”

Teddy stood to his feet, walking over to a small table where a pitcher of water stood by a wash basin and towel. Even cleaning up a little would help him sleep a little better. He gave a glance over to the boy, watching as the lad dug around in his satchel for something. Whatever it was, it could wait for the moment. The water was cold against his skin, as he splashed the liquid over his face. He diligently listened to the boy as he scrubbed the blood off him.

“A m-man gave m-me two g-gold coins t-to b-bring you t-this letter.” Ryan continued to stutter, finally pulling out a folded letter, holding it up for the man to see. 

“Must be very important if he paid you so well.” Teddy noted, drying his face with the towel and coming to sit beside the boy.

The hunter took the letter and looked it over. There wasn’t any marks to say who it was that had sent the letter. Nor was there any indication, or scent, to say that it had come from a vampire. Just that it had changed hands many times before getting to the boy. That was something he had learned the hard way and barely made it out of. A well laid trap set by one vampire, hoping to kill him. It didn’t end so well for that vampire.

After his inspection, Theodore opened it and started to read.

_To Theodore Altman,_  
_I have heard much of you and your expertise in vanquishing vampires._  
_I have hope that you will come and free our villages of a coven that have terrorized_  
_our land and its people for two centuries now. This coven is no longer killing_  
_two to three people a month, but has increased their feedings to over a dozen_  
_with no sign of ceasing their attacks. I fear the worst for our people and I beg_  
_of you to come and deliver us from this darkness that plagues us,_  
_here in the southern region of Transylvania._  
_Yours truly,_  
_V.D._

He read over the letter at least twice more before being satisfied. Transylvania. Of course it would be there. Of all the places in the world, Transylvania was the one place that held the largest number of vampires, let alone the most powerful. He took another look at the letter, noting the fluidity of how the letters were written. A steady and well-practiced hand had written it for sure. A noble perhaps, but then why wasn’t it marked?

“Do you know anything about the man that gave this to you?” Theodore asked after a while, tilting his head thoughtfully as he spoke to the boy. 

“N-no. H-he just s-showed up o-one night a-and gave m-me that. H-he told m-me where t-to f-find you a-and gave m-me t-the m-money.” Ryan replied. Unable to hold the hunter’s questioning gaze for long, he looked down towards his feet. “W-we n-needed the m-money, s-so I a-agreed t-to d-deliver it.”

“You’re not from Transylvania, are you?” Teddy asked, glancing to the boy’s satchel. The bag had been packed far too lightly for him to have come a long distance. If the scents that covered the letter were of any indication, the letter had been handed off only recently to the kid.

“N-no S-sir. I-I from t-the next v-v-village over.”

Theodore nodded and leaned over the edge of the bed to tug at his own sack. After rooting around for a minute or two, he pulled out a small pouch that jingled with the slightest movements. 

“Here,” He started, pulling out a couple dozen coins and put it in the boy’s hand. “Go get yourself some breakfast, and if you are well rested, head for home. The roads should be safe for you to travel now that the vampires are destroyed.”

“S-Sir! Th-this is-“

“A token of my thanks for delivering a message to me and for warming my bed to sleep in.” He gave a small smile, watching as Ryan clutched the coins to his chest with astonishment. 

“Th-thank you s-sir.” Ryan stuttered excitedly, smiling as brightly as he could.

“Now go on with you. I believe I saw the inn keeper up and bumbling around.” He chuckled standing to his feet and escorting the excited boy out of his room before the lad could get any ideas to ask about the vampires he hunted. 

Once the door was shut and locked, He laid himself down on the bed again and glanced over the letter again. He didn’t like it. Didn’t like how many scents were on it. The place that it supposedly came from. The fact that it was signed with only initials instead of an actual name. He didn’t like it one bit. Despite his better judgement though, a voice inside him said that he needed to go. 

With a groan, he rolled onto his side, facing away from the window and the sunlight that started to stream in. He would go. As soon as he rested and could resupply, he would leave for Transylvania. After all, he had a vow to keep and he knew eventually his travels would take him there anyways.


	3. Blood Trails

**Transylvania 1887**

**One Month Prior To Meeting**

“You cannot be serious, Thomas!” A young man exclaimed to his near identical twin, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Do you wish to challenge me on this?” Thomas snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. 

The only response he received was a low groan. It was apparent that his brother wasn’t taking his news to lightly and nor should he. Their family was in enough trouble as it was and they had promised answers to people months ago. 

“Are you sure it wasn’t some sort of accident?” 

“William, I have yet to lie to you when it comes to a dead person showing up on our land, and I’ll be damned to hell if I’m lying to you now about it!” 

“In all technicality, you’re already damned.” William joked half-heartedly, finally looking to his twin. 

They were practically mirror images of one another. The only real difference between them being their hair color. Thomas’s had become a near white in color as a result of their change, while William managed to keep his dark hair. 

“Really, William? Really? Another dead human shows up in the last week and you’re going to start up again about how becoming a vampire-which wasn’t our choice by the way-automatically damned us to hell? Really?” Thomas was fit to be tied. Of all the things his brother could bring up, why did he have to start with that again?

“Oh do shut up, Thomas. I was only trying to lighten the mood.” William rolled his eyes and looked out the window of the castle.

There was enough of an overcast that they could actually have the curtains open without threat of being burned. Any other day, he would have enjoyed that notion to the fullest. Going for a hunt, or reading one of his many books out in the gardens. With the string of unresolved murders going on though, it left his family on edge. From his spot at the window, high up on the mountain’s face, he could see the multiple villages that dotted the land far below. 

So many people out there. So many of them relying on him, his brother, and he rest of the Maximoff coven to protect them. Yes, protect them. But not as one might think. True, vampires were very territorial about their feeding grounds and tended to guard over the handful of villages they preyed upon. William though, William didn’t protect his coven’s villages just so they could drink the blood of the humans later. They protected them from being attacked by other vampires.

The Maximoff’s territory spanned a twenty mile radius. A thing almost unheard of for a coven their size. William sighed, and ran his hand through his hair, attempting to smooth it back, as he thought of his family. There was their mother figure, Wanda, and her brother-their uncle- Pietro. Their father figure, of which as far as he could understand it; the man had lost a good part of his memory of his previous life, including his former name, and settled for Vision. And of course, his brother, Thomas.

“Where was it this time?” William asked after a moment, turning back to his twin. He knew better than to ask his usual set of questions, trying to rule out the possibility of it being another brutal murder. He trusted Thomas. Despite the amount of trouble he sometimes stirred up, and the pranks he would play on him occasionally, there was a mutual understanding that when it came to serious topics jokes were not an option. 

“Quarter mile, just inside our borders.” Thomas allowed his arms to drop lower over his chest, no quite as agitated anymore now that they were getting down to business. “A scribe this time. No sign of robbery but there was ink spilled in the grass and still on the quill. I know how meticulous you are about cleaning your quills as soon as you’re finished writing. A scribe would be the same way would they not?”

William gave a nod, bowing his head somewhat as he thought. “Sounds like he was killed immediately after writing a message. Fang marks?”

“None this time. Throat was sliced and allowed to bleed. Most all the blood was there.”

“Enough missing to be connected to the others?”

“Just barely. Even then it’s debatable.” Thomas gave shrug. He came up beside his twin and rested his shoulder against the semi-cool stone wall. 

“Any scent-“

“None what so ever, once again.” He shook his head, white blonde hair falling out of place into a wilder and bed ragged look. His hair simply refused to conform to a more sophisticated style. A trait that he shared with his brother. “We might as well be chasing a phantom.”

“Phantoms don’t drink blood or leave fang marks. At least none that I know of.” William sighed. 

“Well what else could it be?”

“You think if I knew, I’d be sitting here on my ass?” William finally snapped, giving his brother a hard look. After a moment he shook his head and turned to look out the window again. “The only thing I can figure is that this phantom vampire is gifted like us and is somehow able to eliminate his scent.” 

“That’s impossible though. No one has that sort of gift.”

“That we know of.” There was a look shared between them before Thomas broke his gaze away to stare out the window as well. “And it’s not impossible. After all, anything can occur as a result of turning. Your hair turned white and Vision lost most of his memory of his previous life. If these are possible what’s to say that someone could not be born without a scent?”

Thomas was quiet for so long that William wasn’t sure if had been heard. It was an idea that no one wished to think about, but someone had to say it. Bring the possibility to light and reality. 

“You think someone is trying to drive us out then?” Thomas didn’t dare look at his twin this time. His sight fixed on the village at the foot of the mountain.

“What else could it be? We don’t exactly have friends with other covens and the high council has never actually favored us.” 

“Yes but we’ve never done anything to give them cause to come after us. And this,” Thomas waved his hand towards the window. Though it wasn’t the window itself that he was gesturing too, William understood what he had meant the rise in casualties in their territory. “This is just rubbing in our face that some bastard can walk in on our land and take what they want. Can’t you imagine the trouble this will bring?”

“I already have.” William stated and watched him for a moment. “The rise in deaths will cause unrest in the villages. Word will spread and hunters will come, hoping to make a name for themselves. And every vampire between here and Rome will come to try and take over our territory….not to mention the amount of danger it puts your precious Katherine in.”

“You leave her out of this!” Thomas growled low and threateningly.

“Thomas you have to accept that she is in just as much danger of being the next victim as anyone else in our territory.” William raised his voice only slightly, giving the same warning tone right back to him. “And if word gets out of your infatuation with her, her life will be in even more danger.”

“I said leave her out of this!” He bellowed, fangs bared as he snarled his unspoken threat. 

“No! No I will not! Because someone has to make you see sense.” 

William flinched, raising his hands up when his blur of a brother suddenly slammed his fist into the stone wall by his head. Eyes dark with anger and fear staring at him with cold intent. He hadn’t meant to push his twin so hard. He knew and understood somewhat the love that Thomas had for the human girl down in the village. A love that had deepened over the past year that they had spent together. He hated having to be the one to show the reality of the danger she was in, but Thomas had to know. He had to know just how real the whole situation was. They couldn’t keep living in some twisted fairytale dream any longer.

“ _Nothing_ , is going to harm my Katie-kate, while I’m around. Do you hear me?” Thomas forced out from behind clenched teeth and fangs. 

William wasn’t given a chance to answer him. His brother stalked off only to become a blur as he raced away to who knew where. Though he had a pretty good idea that Thomas was going to see Katherine and verify that she was alright. He blew out a breath, moving some of his bangs out of his eyes.

“Don’t be so hard on your brother.” A gentle voice called soothingly from down the hall.

“I take it you heard then?” William grumbled looking to a woman dressed in red. 

“Enough. Walk with me?” Wanda smiled waving her and in offering.

He nodded and moved to walk with her down the halls. There was silence between them as she led him out into the gardens. The overcast holding well enough for it to be safe for them to walk without worry. 

“I know you didn’t ask for my company, simply for the enjoyment of it.” He murmured after a while.

“No, but walking tends to help clear one’s head after an argument. Running in Thomas’ and Pietro’s cases.” She laughed lightly, bringing a smile to William’s face.

“I just worry that he’s not-“

“William, you have to understand that he does worry for Katherine. We all do.” Wanda cut in sharply. “He’s not as blind as you think he is.”

“No but love has a funny way of preventing you from thinking properly.” William grumbled, shoving his hands into his coat pockets. For some reason his griping earned him a muffled laugh from his mother. “What?”

Wanda continued to giggle from behind her hand for a moment longer, looking fondly at her son.

“One day you’ll find a girl that will set your heart on fire the same way that Katherine has to Thomas. Then you’ll understand what he feels and thinks.” She giggled, trying not to laugh to hard at William’s muttering now.

“What it isn’t a woman that catches my fancy, hm? What will you do then?” “Whatever your heart desires. I really just wish for you to find happiness as your brother has.”

“Mother I can’t be bothered with that. Not until …until…whatever it is that is attacking the villages is stopped.” William exclaimed, one hand coming out of his pocket o wave wildly in the air to express his point. 

“Love will find you in its own time, not yours.” She sighed. Some things would never change for her stubborn son. Him believing he was in control of what the future held, was one of them. “Just promise me that you won’t fight it, if it does happen. Will you do that much for me?”

“You worry as any mother would.” William rolled his eyes before conceding and nodding his head. “But I promise. If love should find me in the near future, I won’t try and fight it.”

“Thank you, William.” Wanda smiled, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “And try not to worry too much. We’ll find the culprit soon. They’re bound to make a mistake.”

“I hope so.” William sighed, watching as she left him alone in the garden with his many thoughts.


End file.
